How many times have we heard of the proverb, "Prevention is better than cure," and have still failed miserably to abide by it?

Many people ignore a regular eye exam because they feel their vision is good enough. But, there is more to an eye exam than just a simple diagnosis of blurry vision. Doctors advise patients to undergo a regular eye checkup every year as eyes not only reveal the problem with your sight but also issues you might have with your entire body.

So, without further ado lets discuss some of the reasons why you should get a regular eye exam done.

Growing Concern of Myopia

There is a growing epidemic of Myopia aka nearsightedness, especially among children. Most individuals develop myopia at a very early age and it can prove to be very detrimental to your child's development. This could turn into a serious threat later in life, causing eye conditions like cataracts, retinal detachment, etc. Having an eye checkup done regularly can help your optometrist assess the situation and nip the problem in the bud.

The Reason for Your Migraines

A headache might not prompt you to go to an eye clinic near you, but, maybe you should. It has been studied, most migraines have a substantial connection to your eyes. Headaches are a way for the eyes to communicate to you about the stress your eyes are feeling. A routine eye checkup can help you resolve your headache while simultaneously keeping the strain on your eyes in check.

Diagnose Diseases

A regular eye check-up can reveal way more than simply the fault with your eyes. Through an eye check-up, an optometrist can conclusively diagnose various diseases that are or might harm your body in the future. The optometrist may notice signs of hypertension through bloodshot eyes. Leakage of yellow fluid from your eyes can be studied to diagnose Diabetes, whereas bulging eyeballs can mean an incumbent Thyroid attack. Eye exams help you diagnose all these diseases in their initial stages, thus helping save lives and money.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is by far the most dangerous of diseases that can harm your eyes, not because it's fatal but because of its sneaky nature. Most don't even realize they suffer from glaucoma because there are no noticeable symptoms. The only way to make sure you are not affected by this disease is to apply for routine eye check-ups. Regular eye examinations can help optometrists detect early risk factors of Glaucoma and determine the necessary prevention methods.

An eye examination is not something you should dismiss as a mere mundane activity. They can spell the difference between a healthy life and a life without vision. Find an eye clinic near you and make it a routine to get you and your families examined regularly. Remember, as said before, “prevention is better than cure.”

It is an undeniable fact that we often take our eyes for granted. We generally pay more attention to our shape and size than our eyes but we should never forget that to maintain a healthy lifestyle it is essential for us to give equal importance to our eyes as well. A study shows that every 1 out of 6 people face vision-related problems at the age of 45 and above and the number is increasing at an alarming rate. You can certainly put the blame on our modern lifestyle for these numbers.

Today we cannot imagine our lives without mobile phones, laptops and TVs, which is one of the major reasons of eyesight issues. The rays emit from them are extremely harmful for the eyes and the worst part is that we cannot limit the practice as we use them for our work and entertainment both purposes. The regular exposure can even cause permanent damage to the eyes. Besides this, there are many other reasons which weaken your vision as you age.

I have listed down few simple guidelines that you can follow to keep your eyes healthy in long run

1. Check your family historyYou should be well aware of the medical history of your family. If any of your close family members has diabetes or high blood pressure, it automatically increases the risk of having some serious eye diseases for you than others. You need to have regular checkups to ensure that your blood pressure level and diabetes are under control.

2. Baseline eye check upEyesight issues start showing symptoms after the age of 40. That is why it is recommended for even those who have no such symptoms to go for a baseline eye examination to check the overall health of your eyes. Based on the reports of this test, the frequency of your checkups will be determined. You should also have a clear idea of your doctor and his treatment procedure when you go for an emergency eye care Brampton service.

3. Look for the warning signsNo matter what is the disease, an early medical intervention has always been proved to be beneficial. That is why it is advised to not to ignore minor changes in your vision because that could be a warning sign of something major that your eyes are trying to convey.

4. Quit smokingNeedless to say that “smoking is injurious to health” and it is equally dangerous for your eyes as well. A survey revealed that people who smoke have higher chances of having sight threatening diseases than people who don’t. It is up to you whether you want to prioritize smoking or your eyes.

5. Eat healthyHealthy eating habits surely make a difference in your lifestyle and your eyes are also not an exception to this. Eat a lot of fruits and green vegetables that strengthen your eyesight with their antioxidant properties.

6. Maintain distance from the TV screenAs I have mentioned above a long time exposure to television or your laptop or even your phone screen can cause some serious vision issues. That is why you should always maintain a safe distance from these screens so that the rays cannot directly affect your eyes. Again if you are into a job where you constantly get exposed to a computer screen, you should take regular breaks to avoid the damage.

Including these steps in your eye care routine will keep you away from eye diseases. Regular eye maintenance is the key to having healthy eyesight throughout your life. Stay in touch with your eye specialist before you actually need an eye doctor emergency. Your eyes are the mirror of your health, take good care of it.

Our lifestyles today, are in a great way responsible for causing damage to our vision. We are constantly exposed to computer or mobile phone screens either for business or for leisurely purposes which strain our eyes. We have become accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle and indulge in junk food more often than not. To avoid problems with vision, it is essential that we make certain changes to our lifestyle which will help us avoid any complications with sight throughout our life.

What Are the Ways to Improve Vision?

Improving your vision is not as complicated as it sounds. There are a couple of simple lifestyle changes that you can make in order to improve your vision like:

Vitamin and mineral-rich dietA diet which is rich in vitamins and minerals will help prevent macular degeneration, especially vitamins A/C/E along with zinc. There are antioxidants in these that protect the eye. These vitamins and minerals can be found in carrots, broccoli, red peppers, spinach, and citrus fruits. Flaxseed oil, as well as salmon, which are rich sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, are equally helpful.

Food with high carotenoid contentLutein and zeaxanthin are retinal carotenoids. They can be found in green leafy vegetables, zucchini, broccoli, and eggs. Carotenoids help in the improvement of the eye's pigment density along with absorption of ultraviolet light.

FitnessType 2 diabetes is a major factor that greatly affects your vision. It causes damage to the arterial walls of your eyes causing blood and fluid to leak into the eye. This condition is known as diabetic retinopathy. Since obese people are more likely to develop this condition, it is advised that they exercise regularly and maintain an ideal body weight.

Controlling existing medical conditionsVision loss can be caused by diseases such as multiple sclerosis or hypertension. It can result in the inflammation of different parts of your body. An inflamed optic nerve may lead to pain or loss of vision. So keeping such diseases under control with exercise, diet, and proper medication is important.

Protection of eyesYou have a high likelihood of damaging your vision while engaging in sports, handling sharp objects or working with chemicals. You should take care and wear protective gear to ensure that your vision is not harmed by external factors.

Wear sunglassesThe right sunglasses will ensure that your eyes are protected. They help block out the sun's harmful UVA and UVB radiation. Without them, you can get affected by diseases that cause eye damage. The diseases include cataract, pterygium or macular degeneration. You could wear a hat with a wide brim to effectively block out the sun's rays.

How Does the 20-20-20 Rule Prevent Eye Strain?If you are in a job that requires you to sit in front of a computer, it is likely that your eyes will be strained after working for a prolonged period. It is extremely important to implement the 20-20-20 rule. You should look away from your computer after every 20 minutes and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps ease the pressure on your eyes.

Stop smokingApart from affecting your lungs, heart, hair, skin or teeth to name a few, smoking also affects your vision. It puts you at higher risk of developing cataracts as well as age-related macular degeneration. Thankfully, the improvement in your vision post stopping the habit of smoking is almost instant.

Family historyYou might inherit certain eye conditions from your parents as well as your grandparents like glaucoma, optic atrophy, retinal degeneration as well as age-related macular degeneration. If you are aware of your family's medical history, it is advisable to take necessary precautions to avoid any issues with vision.

Get Your Eyes Examined Today

“Prevention is Better Than Cure!” As the old adage goes, it is suggestive to take precautionary measures rather than to wait for a cure. The same applies to the eyes too. It is wise to get your eyes tested at regular intervals to avoid any complications with sight. You can go online and search for eye exam near me or eye optical near me to find an optician. For example, if you are a resident of Brampton, you could search for eye care Brampton or eye exam Brampton on Google to find out the number of opticians in and around the area where you live. Image Optical West, located in Brampton, is one such trustworthy optician with over 16 years of experience in eye care.

We are living in an era where eye problems are becoming more prevalent than ever. As it turns out, advancing age is not the only reason for weakening eyes anymore. Lifestyle issues, diet deficiencies, and long working hours have been found to adversely affect sight too.

This has resulted in an entire generation of people vying to use reliable eye care assistance. This either comes in the form of glasses or contact lenses. But then, how do you choose which one to wear? Would glasses suit your needs better than contacts? Or is it better to use cosmetic contact lenses which would also complement your looks?

Listed below are a few comparative and contrasting features of both, eyeglasses and lenses which can help you arrive at a decision.

Field of VisionEyeglasses reside at a small distance from your eye. Not only does this sometimes create distortion but it also results in poor peripheral vision. Contact lenses, on the other hand, are worn right on the eye, thus providing for a more natural form of vision. More so, the entire field of view remains in focus with limited side vision not even being a remote possibility.

ComfortWith eyeglasses, a constant awareness about the edge of the frame dominates your vision. Even the back of the glass casts reflections which interfere with the view. To top it, the weight of the frame tends to leave marks on the bridge of your nose. This, however, is not the case when you avail the best contact lens services. There are no obstructions, no undue reflections, no weight to bog you down and thus, barely any discomfort.

UsageWhen you go for a proper contact lenses fitting, you will realize that they are much easier and safer than eyeglasses for everyday use. For instance, athletes rarely wear glasses because they turn into a distraction during sporting activities. Because of their susceptibility to fogging up whenever the temperature changes, a lot of working professionals who have to constantly move in and out of air-conditioned rooms, avoid them too. Lenses though do not collect precipitation and don't cause a blurring of vision.

FashionWhen it comes to fashion, both glasses and contacts hold the same sway. A lot of spectacles available these days are fashionable and inexpensive. They are fully functional, affordable and come in a variety of styles. Similarly, cosmetic contact lenses have taken the world of fashion by storm. They can quite literally change the color of your eye and enable it to match your outfit. Depending upon the occasion, both glasses and lenses can equally help in setting a style statement.

AffordabilityThe affordability of both glasses and contacts differs. The maintenance cost of spectacles is much higher than contact lenses. An eye practitioner who specializes in contact lenses fitting would tell you, lenses only need to be replaced once every six months. Even if you wear them every day, they would still last for a period of at least thirty to sixty days. They would also not require periodic tightening and adjustment like glasses do. Spectacles, nonetheless, need to be fine-tuned frequently. Sometimes the screws which hold up the frame turn loose, while at other times the frame itself starts to wear off. Overall, the cost of wearing even the cosmetic contact lenses is much lower than eyeglasses.

Parting WordsIf you are still unsure about what would exactly suit your needs, it is best to consult an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. ImageOpticalWest can prove to be of great assistance in this regard. They provide the best contact lens services in the Ontario region. Not only would they give you customized eye-wear advice but they would also ensure that the requirements of your prescription are adequately met.

Whether it is eyeglasses or contact lenses, you need to be extremely cautious about your choice. Weigh the pros and cons of each and then select the one which best helps improve your vision. After all, the eyes are the windows to the world and they deserve nothing short of the perfect eye care solution.

Your eyesight is a precious gift that should be protected at all cost. A regular eye exam ensures the changes in vision and general eye health early on before they develop into serious conditions. By observing changes in your eyes and vision, your optometrist in Brampton can determine early signs of different health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes before they can cause serious and life-threatening problems.

Importance of Regular Eye Exam

Among InfantsIt takes a while for newborns to develop their sight. Their vision starts becoming clearer during the first four months and this is the time around when both their eyes start working together. By the time the baby is six months old, it will learn eye-hand coordination and eye movement control. Nonetheless, infants are prone to different eye conditions like lazy eye and strabismus that may lead to blindness. Optometrists recommend that infants have an eye exam between the sixth and the ninth month since their birth to monitor their visual abilities and development.

Among Pre-schoolersA child should develop good depth perception and hand-eye coordination between one and two years. However, their eyes may not be ready for intense or prolonged visual concentration, especially at short distances. Symptoms of visual problems among pre-schoolers include light sensitivity, covering one eye, excessive blinking and rubbing the eyes, watering, itchy or red eyes and avoiding television and reading books. Your child should have at least one eye exam between the ages of one and five years. However, if you notice any of these symptoms, book an eye exam with an optometrist in Brampton.

School Age ChildrenIf a school goer’s visual skills are in a state of decline, they may develop fatigue or headaches due to the high schoolwork demands. A child may not realize that they have vision problems but they may portray symptoms like headaches, confusing or omitting words when reading, unusual head posture when reading, constantly rubbing or covering the eyes, and using fingers when reading. Eye conditions that may affect your child at this stage include myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism. Protect your child’s vision by ensuring that they have an eye exam every year after starting school.

Among AdultsOur eyes change as we age. Therefore, getting your eyes examined regularly is crucial for ensuring that your vision lasts a lifetime and that you maintain overall visual health. Moreover, adults above 40 years are at risk of developing age-related eye conditions that may not be noticed during the early stages. Common eye problems among adults include cataracts, presbyopia, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Eyes are windows to overall body health and regular eye examinations can uncover health issues like eye or brain tumours and different vascular diseases. According to optometrists in Brampton, adults should have eye exams once every two years and once a year for the people suffering from diabetes.

Among SeniorsVisual complications are common among seniors and optometrists recommend them to have their eye examined annually. Adults above 65 years are particularly at risk of developing serious eye conditions like cataracts, presbyopia, low vision, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.

What Happen during an Eye Exam?

A typical eye exam Brampton checks your eye health and eyesight. The Snellen eye chart is used to determine how well you see and if your eyesight is not 20/20, an optometrist may test refractive errors like hypermetropia and myopia also known as far sightedness and nearsightedness. Most eye conditions can be treated with ease when detected early. However, you can always book emergency eye care when you notice eyesight changes. A simple search query of 'eye optical near me' on a search engine should offer a list of qualified optometrists in Brampton who can assist you in recovering and maintaining a healthy eyesight.